Poultry flocks in Japan, South Korea test positive for avian flu

After a brief hiatus, new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have occurred in commercial poultry flocks in Japan and South Korea.

sharafmaksumov | Bigstock
sharafmaksumov | Bigstock

After a brief hiatus, new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have occurred in commercial poultry flocks in Japan and South Korea. In Kuwait, the infection has been detected in a chicken breeder flock, while further mortalities among poultry have occurred in two Indian states. China has confirmed the country’s ninth case so far this year of a human infection with influenza of avian origin.

In South Korea, presence of the HPAI virus has been confirmed at three egg farms since March 11. First to test positive for the H5N8 virus was a flock of 214,000 birds at Naju, according to the Yonhap news agency. Within days, the infection was detected at two farms near Chungju. The second of these involved 550,000 laying hens.

Naju is in South Jeolla province, around 350 kilometers south of Seoul. Located in North Chungcheong province, Chungju is 150 kilometers from the capital.

The latest cases bring South Korea’s total outbreaks since November of 2020 to 106. With many of these affecting egg farms, a shortage of local production has pushed up prices sharply. Egg prices are 45% higher than one year ago, reports the same source, and 29 million poultry have been culled.

Japan records first HPAI outbreak for several weeks

Last week, Japan’s agriculture ministry registered the country’s first outbreak since February 25. It brought the country’s total primary outbreaks so far this winter to 52, and all outbreaks to 76.

Affected was a chicken farm at Haga in the eastern prefecture of Tochigi, according to Nippon. Around 77,000 birds were scheduled for culling, while farms within three kilometers of the outbreak are now prohibited from moving any poultry or products.

The latest outbreaks bring the number of prefectures with one or more HPAI outbreak to 18.

So far this winter, veterinary authorities of Japan and South Korea have confirmed only the presence of the H5N8 virus variant.

HPAI returns to Kuwait

The H5N8 HPAI virus has been detected at a second location in Kuwait, according to the latest official report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Earlier this month, presence of this variant was confirmed in a broiler breeder flock of 7,000 birds at Abdali in Jahrah governorate. Around 1,900 of the birds died, and the rest have been culled, according to the national animal health agency.

There was one previous outbreak linked to the same virus in this northwestern governorate in November of 2020.

Further cases in two Indian states

Over the past week, local media have reported mortalities among poultry in the eastern state of Maharashtra and Haryana, which is in northern India.  

In the eastern state of Maharashtra, there were 6,900 cases in Amravati one week ago, according to India Today. Within days, a further 5,800 dead poultry were recorded there, as well as 13 in the Nandurbar district.

Since early January, cases have been recorded in 10 districts in the state, reports Indian Express. This source reports that, after an initial slump, demand for poultry has recovered to 90% of its former level, and prices are near-normal.

In Haryana, the rising number of suspected cases of HPAI has put pressure on animal disease testing, according to the same source. This week, one such lab in Hisar has received official government recognition for preliminary testing. Along with another facility in neighboring Punjab, these labs will carry out initial tests, before passing on positive samples to the nation’s high-security center in Bhopal.

In Panchkula, the Barwala-Raipurrani region is among Asia’s largest areas for poultry production. Fist suspected in this area in November of 2020, presence of HPAI was confirmed in the first month of this year. So far, Haryana authorities have overseen the culling of around 200,000 poultry and the subsequent disinfection of at least nine poultry farms. More than 130 other poultry farms in the area are under close surveillance for a period of at least three months.

All avian flu restrictions lifted in Australia

The last avian flu-related movement restrictions have been lifted in the state of Victoria, according to the state’s agriculture department.

In July and August of last year, avian influenza was confirmed at four poultry farms near Lethbridge, one at Bairnsdale, and an emu farm in Kerang. At all six premises, depopulation and contamination have been completed. Surveillance of both domestic and wild birds will continue.

New human case of avian influenza A in China

China has reported one new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) to the World Health Organization.

The patient was a 54-year-old woman from Anquing in Anhui Province. Onset was in October 2020, and she was hospitalized on 27 October in a severe condition. Since then, she has recovered and been discharged. No cases were detected among her family. The patient had exposure to a live poultry market before she became ill.

So far this year, nine cases of infection with this virus have been reported in China. They bring to 50 the number of human cases with avian influenza A(H9N2) in China since December 2015.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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